DES MOINES, Iowa — Five minutes into a foggy morning walk in May, Tracy Codel found herself sidestepping off the trail at Brown's Woods Park — just in case.
A man on the path ahead wobbled, possibly drunk, and though the threat presented to Codel was relatively low, she found herself moving away and checking her surroundings out of instinct.
That on-the-fly safety decision is one people, especially women, on hiking paths make daily — one Codel said may keep some away from the outdoors altogether.
"It is fairly common, especially [for] women, to say, 'Hey, I don't want to be out there hiking,'" she said.
Though Codel takes what she calls minimal precaution — mostly sharing locations with her family and keeping her head up in nature — she knows other women prefer pepper spray and weapons to feel safer in the outdoors.
But there are plenty of women trying to make exploring Iowa's wilderness inviting, exciting and safe for everyone.
What are Iowa's outdoorswomen doing?
Walking is widely perceived as an accessible, easy way to stay in shape, as it's America's most frequently reported physical activity. But with safety concerns keeping some women off the hiking trails and roads, there's a potential gap that walking groups are looking to fill.
Organizations like Wander Women are forging ways for those who've been "under-or-unrepresented in the outdoors in Iowa and beyond" to hit the trails as a group.
And some women are leading walking initiatives of their own.
"I love being out here in [nature], and being by myself, I also love," Codel said. "And I'm not going to [let] being afraid of things [keep me] from being out here on the trail."
In order to get comfortable in nature and build community during, she embarked on a journey during COVID-19: completing 52 walks over the course of 52 weeks.
There were no set guidelines for how many walks could happen each week, or how far she had to go on them, but the human connection outdoors was like therapy to her.
"I realized: I have not been walking alone in my life. I just haven't. So a journey that started off with me feeling lonely ended up in this realization that I haven't been alone, never been alone," Codel said.
Codel blogged all of her experiences on these walks and plans to turn them into a physical book.
Her friend, Karen Downing, is building a community with a similar sentiment. Downing's "Wisdom Walks" aim to help women stay safe and build relationships while getting some steps in
"So, it's just a group of women that range in age," Downing said. "We meet twice a month. The walking pace is not fast, [we] walk 10,000 steps, but it's not about speed, but more about conversation."
Together, the group can have deep discussions and enjoy nature, all with fewer safety concerns than if they solo hiked.
"I think it comforts your nerves ... I think if you're on your own, and just to have a companion with you, it just eases it. [You] can just freak out together," Downing said.
More than just safety in numbers, she believes walking together builds evergreen relationships and helps boost confidence for those wanting to venture out alone, too.
"I often will walk alone, but I think the comfort of women — I intentionally didn't want men [in the group] — and I don't even know why that is necessarily," she said. "Except I wanted the wisdom and insight of women from different generations. That was really something I was looking for."
So, take up space on trails, invite others to tag along and explore Iowa this summer.
How do I stay safe on trails?
- Share your location with friends and family
- Don't play music in your headphones too loudly
- Walk on well-traveled trails
- Let others know how long a hike should take for you
- Research the park, trail or route ahead of time - maybe even print yourself a map!
- Stay aware of your surroundings
- Remain on the trail whenever possible
- Always check the weather forecast